One Response to “Practice caution, but not paranoia.”

I’ve known of backpacks slashed, taken off the wearer, lifted from the floor beside the owner. All this means to exercise common sense and keep valuables next to the skin, under the shirt or trousers. I’ve seen young backpackers, obviously on their first trip, with brand new backpacks, looking inexperienced and just waiting to be robbed. In over 50 years of travel (yes I’m still traveling solo) I’ve only been robbed in my hometown in Australia where I haven’t seen the need to practice caution!

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We better understand ourselves and others when we leave home to experience the world firsthand. Independent travel is a departure from routine -- an opportunity to learn, have fun and embrace life in novel environments and cultures.

-Indie travel is about replacing broad expectations with nuanced realities.
-Indie travel is about seeing yourself in the context of a rich and complex world.
-Indie travel is about defining your values, exploring your beliefs, and crafting your own meaning for life.

Indie travelers value...
-Options over possessions
-Dynamic possibilities over static goals
-Discovery over escape
-Interactions over transactions
-Local information over received information
-First-hand experience over expert opinions
-Mental and spiritual growth as much as physical adventure
-Private transformation over social status and bragging rights
-The present moment over dreams of past and future

Indie travelers do...
-Pack light and keep things simple
-Adapt as they go rather than micromanage in advance
-Practice caution, but not paranoia
-Know how to slow down and enjoy an experience
-Seek pleasure in simple moments and details
-Make meaningful connections and informed decisions
-Learn the economic, political and environmental context of their host culture
-Emphasize listening more than talking
-Practice courtesy, patience, humility, and good humor
-Seek to understand -- not judge or romanticize -- other cultures
-Give back to the local economy
-Share what they’ve learned with others